Automatic relief-valve



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

R! M. BECK.

' AUTOMATIC RELIEF VALVE.

No. 392,982. Patented Nov. 20, 1888.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

" R. M. BECK.

AUTOMATIC RELIEF VALVE.

No. 392,982. Patented Nov. 20, 1888.

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an enlarged plan view of the cam.

PATENT tries.

ROBERT M. BECK, OF OHAMBERSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOMATIC RELIEF=VALVE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 392,982, dated November 20, 1888.

Application filed October 19, 1887. Serial No. 252,828. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ROBERT M. 131301;, a

, citizen of the United States, residing at Chambersburg, in the county of Franklin and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Relief- Valves; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to that class of valves known as relief-valves, and it consists in the construction and arrangement of a valve or valves for use with a steam-cylinder or other gas or liquid containing chamber, and in the arrangement of said valve or valves in connection with other relief devices, said valve or valves being adapted to be automatically opened by the increased pressure of the steam to allow it to escape when necessary, all of which will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the annexed drawings, illustrating the invention, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a steamcylinder provided with theimproved automatic relief-valves. Fig. 2 is a detail section of the valve and its surrounding casing. Fig. 3 is Fig. 4 is a cross-section of the same, and Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the valves and the operating-cam and the handle arranged between them.

Like letters of reference designate like parts in all the figures.

The steanrcylinder B is provided directly near each end with a valve, as shown in Fig. 1, said valve being located within a casing, A, which is secured to the cylinder in any suitable manner, so that a steam-port, a, may open into it. These valves are the relief-valves, and they consist of a valvestem, I), having the head '0, that closes over the valve-seat and the collar d on the end of the stem, which projects through the casing. Said casing is provided with an internal sleeve or cap, F, that surrounds the stem to within a short distance of the valveseat, and a spiral spring, H, surrounds the sleeve and that portion of the stem not enveloped by the sleeve, the spring being arranged against the head 0 and so tensioned that it will normally close the head over the seat; but when the pressure of the steam within the cylinder becomes great enough to overcome the spring the valve will be unseated and the head 0 may move as far as the end of the sleeve F, thus allowing the steam to escape into the exhaust.

The valve-casings A are provided with a thin membranous metallic cap or disk, M, which forms part of the wall of the casing. These membranous disks are preferably located in that part of the casing opposite the valve-head and are secured in place by being screwed into the casing or otherwise attached. They are adapted to be rent or burst by the steam to afford an exit therefor whenever anything clogs or obstructs the proper working of the relief-valve itself, or whenever there is such an undue pressure of steam in the cylinder as renders the valve itself inadequate to afford relief. The membranous relief-disks are made of the proper strength to be broken by the steam when occasion requires.

Between the membranous relief-disk and the steam-channel is located a valve, N. This valve is used for the purpose of shutting off the steam after the disk has exploded, so that'it may not blow out into the room or other apartment where the engine is located. It also serves, by checking the outflow of steam, to enable the operator to put a new disk in place of the one that has been broken, after which the valve may be opened and the relief-disk once more exposed to the steam-pressure.

As already stated, two valves and valvecasings, patterned after the construction just described, are arranged upon the cylinder B, the valve-stems being reversely located with respect to each other, so that their collars d may be adjacent. Between the valves is situated a cam, K, provided with eccentric flanges D, and supported by a stud, G, passing through the eye of the cam and directly secured to the cylinder. This stud may also serve as a third relieffor condensation. Thus the cam K can be revolved about the stud, this revolution being conveniently effected by means of a lever, G,

affixed to the cam in any convenient manner. The cam is adapted to engage the collars d d on the valve-stems. In this way both valves may be easily unseated by a single movement of the lever. Therefore when it is so desired IOO the valves may both be opencd'by hand, al though they are so situated as to. be automatically governed by the steam-pressure. Exhaust-steam, as it passes from the left-hand valve A, enters the pipe A and proceeds thence to the exhaust-pipe L. As it passes from the right-hand valve A, it enters the pipe A and goes thence to the exhaust, and steam escaping through the third relief at the stud G may have an exit through pipe A to the pipe L. The pipes A, A, and A are here shown by Way of example only and to illustrate one mode of discharging the exhaust-steam from the valves, and it is obvious that said pipes may be dispensed with and the exhaust-steam discharged by any other suitable means. Furthermore, I do not intend to confine the use of my inven tion to steam-cylinders and other steam-containing chambers; but I reserve the liberty of applying my improved relief valves. to all kinds of chambers, vessels, or receptacles which contain air, gases, or liquids, so as to afford a way of escape for said air, gas, or liquid when the pressure becomes too great.

Having thus described my invention, whatI claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 'isv 1. The combination, with a steam-cylinder or other gas or liquid containing chamber, of

the valveeasin g secured thereto, having an internal sleeve, a membranous reliefdisk located in the wall of the valve-casing, a valve for checking the continued outflow of steam when said relief-dislc is broken, a valve having a stem with a collar on it, and a spring surrounding the sleeve and valve-stem, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with a steam-cylinder or other gas or liquid containing chamber, of the valve-easing secured thereto, a membranous relief-disk located in the wall of the valvecasing, a valve for checking the continued outflow of steam when said relief-disk is broken, and a relief-valve in the valve-easing, substantially as described.

3. The combination of the cylinder B, having ports a a, the relief-valves provided at either end thereof and each comprising a casing, A, having sleeve F, and a valve having a stem with a collar on it, together with the spring and the cam engaging the collared ends of thevalve-stems, substantially as described.

4. The combination of the cylinder B, having ports a a, the relief-valves composed of the internally-sleeved casing A, valve-stem b,with

. collar d upon it, and. spring H and the cam K engaging the collared ends of the stems, supported by the stud G and operative by a lever,

' O, substantially as described.

5. The combination of the cylinder B, the two valve-casings having sleeves F and mombranous relief-disks M, and containing the valves having stems provided with collars thereupon, and the springs H, the cam K, engaging the collared ends of the stems, supported by the stud G and operative by a lever, C, substantially as described.

6. The combination of the cylinder B, the valve-casings having sleeves F and membranous relief-disks M and containing valves N, and the headed and collared stems I), having springs H, and the cam K, engaging the collared ends of the stems, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROBT. M. BECK. \Vitnesses:

J. M MCDOWELL, J. E. WoonvvoR'rn. 

